Lucky 13 Pub

The menu isn't without a few dim spots. The Middle Eastern platter muffed on probably the easiest dishes to make, with a pulpy and bland baba ghanoush and a thin hummus marred by crunchy bits. The "chicken paillard," the open-faced chicken-parmesan equivalent of the deconstructed meatball, wasn't as evenly pounded or as crisply fried as I might have liked. The risotto primavera was also just a bit too thick and busy with colorful veggie add-ins for my taste. But half the pleasure was hearing our lavishly pierced, tattooed, and goth-painted bartendrix/waitress quite deftly describe the risotto's Milan-style saffron flourish: I'd order it again.

Lucky 13's charm is its ability to constantly exceed expectations. I expect Johnson to nail a trendy comfort-food update like mac-and-cheese - and he does, with a crock of penne broiled into an ivory web of molten white cheddar, locatelli, and cream that was destined to be devoured.

But how would Johnson handle a tricky Southern dish like fried catfish with crawfish? Or, perhaps even more doubtful, could he make me actually like a tempeh sandwich?

The well-traveled Johnson, 40, who also spent time in Atlanta working at a vegetarian restaurant (Homage), delivered once again on both counts. The fried catfish was spot-on fresh, its crispy cornmeal crust scattered with spicy sauteed crawfish and dabbed with an exotic tartar sauce herbed with mint and cilantro and tinged yellow with turmeric. The tempeh, meanwhile, which came sandwiched with caramelized onions and sprouts inside a rustic roll, had a deep, savory-sweet intensity to its soy-glazed patty, a surprising moistness and balance of textures that was both meaty and satisfying. It's called the "Ace of Spades," which sounds like a lucky card to land.

At Lucky 13, however, where the craft beers and fun eats are as reliably colorful as the hipster crowd, there's rarely an unlucky dish in the deck.

Next Sunday, Craig LaBan reviews Fork in Old City. Contact him at claban@phillynews.com.